“Cannabis sativa” is what is commonly referred to as a psychoactive plant. Other notable psychoactive plants include coffea arabica and nicotiana tabacum. So, if you are debating the “dope” question with a cigarette and a cup of coffee, you’re doping while talking dope. And @Vox, if you are doping on coffee and cigarettes and debating dope, but you judge from afar and never ask a person who finds relief from Medical Cannabis what they think, you are simply a dope. To the many who find a great deal of relief from terrible conditions you would not wish on your worst enemy, it is very much a very good medicine.

Does coffee cause schizophrenia? Does coffee lower the IQ of young people? Does coffee damage the brains and the behavior of children exposed in the womb?

Do people crash cars after getting high on coffee?

Man, good point. Coffee and pot are the same.

February 6, 2019 at 8:04 pm

Craig Cornellsays:

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Oh, yeah. Can you list for me the “terrible conditions” for which pot is the answer? You know, where there is not alternative to pot and science has proven the efficacy of pot for that particular problem.

Craig Cornell wants to make sure everyone gets a big dose of Big Pharma rammed down their throats. Big Pharma — you know, the guys that advertise their products and half the commercial is a disclaimer for the side effects, and they all end with ” including death”. Craig, as far as lowering one’s IQ in utero or otherwise, tell us why yours is so low. Oh, and let us know when we can begin dictating to YOU what you can or can’t take for what ails you.

February 8, 2019 at 7:45 am

PolarBeaRepealsays:

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@Baron; pains associated with the ailments you listed have been successfully quelled by other pain meds. Avoiding the specific question won’t work; i.e. medi-pot isn’t the EXCLUSIVE pain med needed for those illnesses.

February 7, 2019 at 2:47 pm

Craig Cornellsays:

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Wow. I had no idea the pot was such a wonder drug. Thank you doctor for all the links to the medical research proving so.

And insulting me because I don’t think coffee and pot are the same? Well, doctor, that isn’t very professional of you.

You can just repeat that you think coffee and pot ARE the same, and that you disagree with me. Being confident in your opinion should allow you to refrain from on-line insults, even if you are using a phony name.

I agree with carefully controlled use of {highly regulated} medicinal marijuana. MM dispensaries should apply standards of practice consistent with other drugs they sell. I wonder, though, is it a drug… or is it dope?

Consistent with “other drugs” or “other drugs that are classified the same way as marijuana”? Because as far as I know, there aren’t any other Schedule One drugs that can legally be sold under state laws.

San Francisco is now the “Slum by the Bay” due to all the drug heads that inhabit this once great city. Yes, the Marijuana crowd dominate the crowd that sleep on the streets, defecate on the sidewalks, so much so that they have poop clean up crews. As a gateway drug, it leads to meth, cocaine and eventually opioids until they kill themselves. What a disaster California is and unfortunately, many other cities are following suit.

Science should find a way to measure the THC in a person’s body like they do with alcohol, and then legalize marijuana all around. Then it can be checked, just like alcohol. It can also be taxed and become a government revenue stream as well.
It’s dope.

Just in case Jack or others aren’t interested in clicking the link, here’s part of the abstract introduction: “The poor correlation of THC concentrations in the blood with impairment is discussed, along with the implication that setting per se levels is not meaningful”

I hear ya Baron. I only quoted it because there are a few people here who constantly refuse to actually click on links.

February 6, 2019 at 4:34 pm

PolarBeaRepealsays:

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I often hesitate to click the links to IJ articles on medi-pot… the reasons for which should be obvious after reading these comments.

February 6, 2019 at 2:10 pm

Rosenblattsays:

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It’s not science’s fault the marijuana impairment “breathalyzer” is imperfect – it’s due to how THC interacts with the body. There is not a linear connection between an amount of the substance and how it impairs people, and for how long it lasts. THC not only lingers in the body inconsistently but it has unpredictable cognitive effects between users.

Anyone see “Murder Mountain” on Netflix? Really fascinating view of the world of marijuana growing in Northern California. Definitely doesn’t glorify it in any way. If you haven’t seen it, check it out.

Mickey Dee- I drink a beer or 2 everyday for the taste, not the crap called bud,etc. I drink craft only, for the taste. I do not take drugs for my chronic back pain from a car accident. Sounds to me like your test would not work.

1. The authors of the study confirm that marijuana has very, very few legitimate scientific uses. Nausea relief and help for some MS patients. Otherwise, “pain” treatment is the only viable use.
2. 62% of “medical” use goes to chronic pain treatment. However, pain is one of the most subjective medical conditions; there is no way to compare the pain level in one person with that of another. That is the reason doctors use that silly 1-10 smiley to grumpy-face chart in their offices. That’s the best they got.
3. If I B.S. my doctor about my pain, I get pot, because there is no way for my doctor to verify what I am telling him or her.
4. Has pot ever been tested against other treatments for its superior effectiveness for pain relief? No. Only against a placebo, and has been stated before, any intoxicant (Budweiser) will get better responses from test patients than will a placebo.

Bottom Line: Overblown claims for the medical value of marijuana. As usual, everything with pot is a lie.

We were talking about states where only “medical”(HA) marijuana was legal. When that was the case in Cali., all the young people knew who the pot doctors were. It’s like knowing the groovy uncle of your buddy who would give you beer.

February 6, 2019 at 5:00 pm

Honest Questionsays:

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How many people are affected, annually, by only the diseases mentioned? Seems like it may have an opportunity to help thousands who have exhausted all other prescribed drugs without success of controlling or even minimizing their symptoms.
“… chronic pain affects an estimated 100 million Americans.” And if over-the-counter drugs do not provide relief, you will be prescribed other drugs, such as muscle relaxants, anti-anxiety drugs, antidepressants, etc. What are the side effects of these drugs? Are they not abused or detrimental to people’s health as well?
Also, keep in mind that it is a felony to lie to a doctor to obtain a prescription for a controlled substance. Obviously people are lying and will continue to lie to get their fix. I think cannabis should be treated like a prescription drug, but in a sense that it will provide relief for some and won’t for others. Especially when it will be prescribed by a professional, will be a controlled dosage and will mainly be a CBD strand that lacks the psycho-active effects that THC strands have. The side effects, for some, may do MORE HARM than good so I agree with you there, but it’s the same with most prescription drugs where the side effects are so extensive they can’t even fit all of them on the bottle.
To each their own, assuming doctors will explain the possible adverse side effects of MJ (as they would every other prescription drug).

CBD is helping many kids here in the state of Iowa. Finally, there is a solution for their seizures. Our nanny recently suffered her 2nd seizure and will be looking into the oils as well. She isn’t looking for anything psychoactive. But, that doesn’t fit Craig’s broad-brush narrative.

Fair enough, but I think you are almost exclusively referring to recreational users who are looking for the psycho-active effects.
For patients, this may be their last resort, to which a doctor should be prescribing CBD strands over others for obvious reasons you’ve previously stated. However, CBD strands act as a muscle relaxant that could provide users with chronic pain or reoccurring seizures some relief and/or dulling of their pain. With hardly any side effects (which can not be said for THC strands) that may be prominent in other prescription drugs.

Well, marijuana isn’t exactly the god-send answer to everyone’s illnesses either. But I do believe certain strands have the capability to help a lot of those patients, not all, but I would argue maybe half. Especially when you consider how invasive or harmful other treatments/drugs can be to an individual and their livelihood.
Prescription pills have their place in the recovery process for many, so long as they are not abused. Even CBD strands, if not properly moderated, can be a hindrance to a patient’s health.

Prevailing theory is that marijuana is a gateway drug that leads to harder drugs, like opiods.

Irony of ironies, we now have a real world test – does marijuana use reduce the need for legal drugs that lead to opoid abuse!

For the sake of current and future chronic pain patients, let’s hope the prevailing theorists are wrong. (Of course, we would then owe an apology to those incarcerated because the science led to a classification of marijuana is a top tier illegal substance.

Happens all the time, Jack. Happened to my niece. Saw it happen to several close friends back i college. Had a girlfriend who never smoked at all but sure like the nose candy. Ironically, she ended up marrying a cop. Obviously, she quit that stuff, thank goodness. You see, different drugs generate completely different effects, so it all depends on the effect the user is going for.

Nice anecdote. In the land of facts an statistics, your niece is a very rare case. Over 90% of hard drug users started with pot. Gateway, according to the experts, meaning the people who work with addicts in rehabilitation.

Where is alcohol and nicotine in the gateway drug convo? Just curious because 85% of all statistics you mention are correct 60% of the time. And, I’m going to venture that 95% of MJ users used alcohol and/or nicotine previously.

February 7, 2019 at 11:33 am

Craig Cornellsays:

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Actually, the overwhelming majority of hard drug users never got addicted to cigarettes before getting addicted to hard drugs, if you look at the statistics. (Afterwards is a different story, so hard drugs are a gateway to nicotine.)

As for alcohol, well, liquor consumption is obviously so common in the world that it would be virtually impossible for someone to do anything wrong in life without first having consumed alcohol. That’s like saying milk is a gateway drug to any drug.

C’mon, Captain Lost, make at least ONE insightful comment that is well thought out in advance. I am rooting for you! Go for it.

February 7, 2019 at 12:12 pm

Captain Planetsays:

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Okay, Craig, here you go:

FEBRUARY 6, 2019 AT 11:22 AM
Craig Cornell says:
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If you were a fair minded and honest person, here is what you would acknowledge: I don’t insult people until AFTER they insult me first.

Did you take the hypocritical oath?

February 7, 2019 at 3:19 pm

Rosenblattsays:

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Craig: “Actually, the overwhelming majority of hard drug users never got addicted to cigarettes before getting addicted to hard drugs, if you look at the statistics.”

Citation needed. Please provide a link to support your argument.

February 8, 2019 at 7:56 am

PolarBeaRepealsays:

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@Platitude: explain why you presume you can extend the legality of nicotteine and alcohol to recre-pot. I would criminalize tobacco products and derivatives thereof… for health insurance cost reasons. I would also strengthen laws on alcohol misuse and expand alcoholism treatment facilities and health insurance coverage. Again, how do you support recre-pot via the legality of different drugs?

February 18, 2019 at 4:54 pm

Agentsays:

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Craig, you were right as usual about the black market in California overwhelming the legal trade. Over 80% of the marijuana trade is through the black market. Newsome is deploying 150 National Guard to northern California to deal with the issue. It seems they are missing a lot of taxable revenue from these black market people. National Guard? Sounds like a serious problem.

February 6, 2019 at 4:52 pm

PolarBeaRepealsays:

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So, you have an anecdote about a relative, but no study of the issue as was requested. Thanks for not answering the question, adding to the credence of the claim made by Jack.

Polar, the libs on this blog do love their weed. The only other issue they may love more is their Global Warming hoax which is like a religion to them. Guess the high they are on makes it easier for them to post on that issue.

February 12, 2019 at 1:13 pm

Jerrysays:

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Just because the cowards that run this board leave your messages up doesn’t mean you’re right. The two of you are a dying breed in the world with good reason. Your need to shout your negative, hateful opinions from the rooftop is pathetic.

February 7, 2019 at 4:56 pm

Jacksays:

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Capt planet- is “all the time” a technical term used in the study you referenced?

Show us the study on hard drug users and what their first drug was.

I did drugs, hard drugs, and started with pot. And I got $1000 that says any study done will reflect pot was the hard drug users 1st drug. Which is why you won’t see the study published by a liberal crack pot (no pun intended) university or medical facility.